sparking curious mind

Music

2009-10-28T14:51:00.000+02:00

Book covers

2009-10-27T15:06:00.001+02:00

If you are interested in book covers and editorial in general, there is nice project called «Daily book graphic» by Julian Montague, an artist and graphic designer living in Buffalo NY.
«Everyday I post some sort of graphic element from a book that I own. My plan is to do this for a year – February 21, 2009 to February 21, 2010.»

Very interesting

Joy

2009-10-21T11:50:00.005+03:00

Ieri, 20 oct, la invitatia celor de la Trado Motors, am participat la BMW xDrive Tour.
De dimineata, pe o vreme de stat in casa, am ajuns la locatie, unde dupa o cafea si o scurta sedinta de socializare, am intrat in "paine". Vorba lor, bucuria nu are timp sǎ se îngrijoreze de condiţiile meteo şi de drum.

Tre' sa marturisesc ca eu sunt un mare fan BMW, inca de pe vremea lui E21, prin urmare eram nerabdator sa vad noul seria 5 GT si sa experimentez tehnologia xDrive. Ar trebui sa vorbesc si despre premiera in Romania a modelului X1, dar mie nu-mi spune nimic. Este un compromis facut de constructorul german, pe care-l inteleg dpdv al marketingului, dar nu il voi sustine.

Buuun......Dupa o scurta prezentare video a ce inseamna BMW xDrive, am trecut la dezvelirea monstrului! O combinatie intre un SUV, un MPV si o berlina de lux, modelul de baza, 535i GT fiind propulsat de un motor cu sase cilindri in linie de 3.0 litri supraalimentat ce dezvolta 306 cp. Aveam furnicaturi pe degete si tare as fi vrut sa-l incerc. Cu alta ocazie...

Fara sa pierdem timpul, am purces la o demonstratie a sistemului xDrive in conditii de on-road si off-road. Asa ca insotiti de cate un reprezentant BMW, ne-am urcat cate 2 in masini si ....of we went. Traseul ne-a purtat prin imprejurile orasului, iar la intervale regulate opream pentru a experimenta alt model din carvana.

Eu am condus un x3, un 320, al lui Claudiu David ( care mi-a oferit cateva tips-uri de condus extem de utile) si un 750i de 5l, 407 cai, cutie automata. Ce sa zic....Masinile astea parca au fost construite ca o prelungire a mea. Reactioneaza precis la reactiile mele, de parca au in ADN urme din mine. Incredibil cum accelereaza de te infunda in scaun si cum reactioneaza pe o sosea uda, chiar daca nu le-am solicitat la maxim. O incantare!

Odata ajunsi la showroom, am trecut la experimentare sistemului xDrive pe un traseu ingenios, amenajat in curte. Eu am condus un x6 si un x5 si marturisesc ca inca nu-mi vine sa cred ce poate sa faca tehnologia mentionata. Sistemul inteligent xDrive transferă putere către roţi într-un mod hotărât – şi în doar câteva milisecunde, în momentul în care sistemul simte o pierdere excesivă a tracţiunii, inversează subit cuplul, pentru a se adapta condiţiilor schimbătoare; iar astfel oferă tracţiunea maximă disponibilă şi o manevrabilitate superioară, pe toate suprafeţele. Si a fost un traseu plin de denivelari!

Una peste alta a fost o experienta minunata si parca nu as fi plecat. In concluzie trebuie sa admit ca BMW este Joy. O bucurie savurata resposabil, si traita in siguranta. Multumesc gazdelor si ii anunt ca voi raspunde cu drag si altor invitatii.

Intangible value

2009-10-15T20:20:00.002+03:00

Rory Sutherland does an excellent job of selling what he calls "intangible value".
By the end of this talk, he will have persuaded you to the notion that intangible value is good, because it prevents people from only wanting more all the time, and instead enables them to appreciate what they already have.

A very valuable and insightful talk - sometimes it is a bit over the top - but we can give that licence to him - he is an advertising man and speaks his business well.

Have you seen this AIR video?

2009-09-23T13:39:00.001+03:00

Absolutely brilliant! I love the constantly changing creative interpretation. wow! Music an image. Biology here is a fabulous treat.

Relationships online

2009-09-08T16:56:00.003+03:00

Excellent diagram of online relationships. Made by David

Logo redesign

2009-09-03T13:53:00.002+03:00

A change in the logo, affects buying decisions.

"Currently, most companies use a mass approach when they change their logos. Worse yet, most companies presume that their most precious customers—those having strong brand commitment—will be more accommodating to changes.

"Our results show this is likely a mistaken assumption—one that can alienate the core, the most committed of a brand’s customers. In contrast, weakly committed consumers respond positively to logo redesign. Naturally, a more nuanced approach is needed to ensure that logo redesigns appeal to both groups.

"One strategy may be to manage the reactions and expectations of strongly committed consumers by actively soliciting their input and perhaps pre-notifying them before the changes are revealed to the broader public. Giving the strongly committed such a feeling of being an 'insider' may strengthen their self-brand connection and mitigate the potentially negative effects of logo redesign." - Dr. Vikas Mittal, Rice University

via

Design agencies - nursery playgroups

2009-09-03T13:23:00.002+03:00

Design agencies are like nursery playgroups, except that the chairs are a lot bigger and designers don't go over the lines when they're colouring-in.

Like children in a playgroup, designers are never stuck for things to draw. This is because they have grown-ups who give them things to do. These things are called jobs and the grown-ups are clients.

Hilarious! And a lot close to reality.

from here

Nu exista brand-uri ideale

2009-09-02T13:18:00.002+03:00

Am avut de curand o polemica cu un client in care el sustinea ca exista brand-uri ideale, si doar acele brand-uri pot avea succes.

Eu nu cred ca exista branduri ideale. Ideea face parte dintr-un sistem de gandire pre-digital, unde posibilitatile de constructie a brand-urilor se limitau la un set de instrumente inguste. Potrivit acestui mindset, se poate spune ca unele marci erau mai potrivite decat altele pentru a face cele cateva lucruri pe care marketing-ul ti le permitea. Dar astazi, in era post digitala, acest lucru nu mai este valabil.

Inainte existau un set limitat de oportunitati si toata lumea a trebuit sa forteze brandul lor in aceste mici cutii de instrumente de marketing in scopul de a comunica si a se conecta cu audienta. Acest lucru nu a facut bine pentru multe brand-uri si se poate spune ca existau brand-uri ideale sau mai putin ideale in functie de care se potrivea mai bine la instrumentele disponibile. Azi - exista o oportunitate de marketing geniala pentru toata lumea - atat timp cat market-erii sunt interesati sa o descopere.

Astazi este mai mult vorba despre înţelegerea marketing-ului prin prisma valorii companiilor (ce valori oferă, in ce context si cum?), decat incercarea de a potrivi marketing-ul intr-un set predefinit de unelte.

Prin urmare, un brand ideal este un brand care exploreaza, care gaseste instrumentele cele mai potrivite contextului lor (situatiile in care produsele lor sau brand idea furnizeaza valoare), pentru audienta lor şi pentru organizatie. Si inţelege ca marketing-ul este o parte a experientei de produs sau de utilizare, nu ceva ce ai adauga la sfarsit doar pentru a spune oamenilor ca produsul este disponibil.

Nu exista brand-uri ideale, ci doar strategii geniale.

Tarantino's dialogue

2009-08-20T12:55:00.001+03:00

Tarantino’s talk is not just the fuel of his movies: it’s the engine, the wheels and most of the frame. It’s where the real dramatic and philosophical action takes place. The gunshots, car crashes and torture scenes are punctuation.

Great rant about Tarantino!

Slow Food

2009-08-20T12:42:00.002+03:00

"The second assumption is just as dangerous: it is the dangerously linear assumption that the best way to build a brand is to set out to build a brand. I really don’t believe this. I think if you set out to build a great business, you’ll stand a fair chance of building a great brand. I am not equally confident that someone aspiring to build a great brand will build a great business." - Rory Sutherland

Joy is BMW

2009-08-20T12:23:00.005+03:00

BMW a lansat o noua platforma de comunicare la nivel global. Imi placea mult "Pure driving pleasure". Parca era mai aproape de spiritul brand-ului.
Dar, cum spun chiar ei: "Is very important how you make people feel, but is more important what you make".
Si ei fac masini incredibile.

Pentru mine "Joy" de la BMW este clasicul 507. O bucurie de masina. Sper sa reusesc sa conduc una o data.

Ieseni la Cannes Lions

2009-07-16T11:45:00.002+03:00

Exceptional! Dragi ieseni, colegi publicitari, anul acesta dulcele targ a avut reprezentare la Cannes!
Dupa cum vedeti in imaginea de mai sus, este vorba de agentia Christi Leon. Marturisesc ca nu am auzit pina acum de ei.
Va transcriu mai jos minunea de script cu care s-au inscris. Observati ca nici topica limbii romane nu o stapanesc, ca sa nu mai vorbim despre creativitate, care lipseste cu desavarsire.
Enjoy it!

Radio Lions Script

A18/78	00231	ROMANIA
Title:		HARMONY
Advertiser:		ASCOR
Product/Service		CHRISTIAN TRAVEL ORGANISATION

Script In English:

SFX: Busy traffic
SFX: Whistle
SFX: Baby's cry
SFX: Thunder and lightning, heavy rain
SFX: Traffic returns

ANN: Nature asks for a change
Nature invites us all to live in harmony with it!

SFX: Birds chirping
SFX: Horns of cars
SFX: Baby giggling

Script In Orginal Langauge

SFX: Ocupat trafic
SFX: Suierator
SFX: Bebelus tipetele
SFX: Trasnet si fulgere, ploaie torentiala
SFX: Trafic revine

ANN: Natura cere schimbare!
Natura ne invita sa traim in armonie cu ea!

SFX: Pasari ciripitor
SFX: Sirene de autoturisme
SFX: Bebelus surazator

Holiday

2009-07-03T11:47:00.002+03:00

I've been away for a week. A much deserved vacation. This year we've been to Bulgaria, in Albena.
The main criteria was the price and the vicinity to Romania. This way we were able to take our 10 months daughter with us.

I didn't have high expectations beforehand. To my surpreise, the Bulgarians have a decent tourism, with clean beaches, good accomodation, great food, smilling people and beautiful scenery.
It was great!

Unfortunately, although Romania has a great seashore, I don't dig the quality of the service and the prices they have. It's a rip-off!
So, until there will be significant improvements in the quality of services, I'll never go to Romania sea resorts.
And for all of you willing to visit Romania, I'll recommend to go to the mountains or up north to visit the monasteries. You'll have decent accomodation at good prices and beautiful scenery.

Come play!

2009-06-17T10:53:00.002+03:00

Australia’s world cup soccer bid is heating up ahead of the official submissions in 2010. Starting with a very cool video showing people playing soccer across the country in all sorts of beautiful places.
This is one of the elements of the campaign to come. The campaign's website is an clever comms platform where, among other things, one can play and eran points for Australia's bid.
As they say, football dares to dream. And I salute and support aussie's bid.

Renault Logan - Legea Atractiei

2009-06-05T14:57:00.002+03:00

Pentru lansarea Renault Logan in Columbia, Publicis a dezvoltat campania "Legea Atractiei" cu trei executii diferite.

Agentie: Publicis Colombia/Publicis CB
Productie: Rhayuela

Financial crisis explained

2009-06-05T14:34:00.002+03:00

click to enlarge

Design studio Cypher13 explains through iconography the financial mess we live in right now.
Beautiful!

Mea culpa

2009-06-03T22:13:00.002+03:00

It has indeed been an eternity since I put forth enough time and effort to comment on our fascinating world. For that, I can only offer an apology to the few people who flick back from time to time.
I’ve been wondering, “has anyone even noticed?” I mean, with so much stuff being written every day and seemingly less and less time available to just casually “browse the web,” who would notice, much less even care, if another blog just sort of fell by the wayside?

The reasons for my long hiatus are both personal and professional.
Nine months ago Mara Cezara, my beautiful daughter (picture above) was born and came to make my life a constant source of wonders and happines.
In the same time, I had to take care of my new professional endeavour which is Wunderkid, a small, creative agency with big ambitions. We've been doing well lately and I'm satisfied with the way things go, both internally and externally.

So, I decided today that not only do I have the time to speak softly but I may even find the time to shout about a few things. I would like to take this blog in a somewhat new direction. It will include anything and everything that we can think of. Probably, I'll post more in Romanian.

I look forward to jumping back in…

Daci pe Wordle

2008-08-02T17:13:00.002+03:00

Stefan a facut o lista de cuvinte dacice si le-a postat in Wordle. In spirit Apolod'or!

Tzuica Apolod'or

2008-08-01T17:07:00.004+03:00

Am facut un nou spoof pentru Adfel- Grand Spoof!

De data asta parodiem Coca-Cola Train si Cava D'oro. Totul plasat undeva in anul 106 i.Hr.

Aceeasi echipa care a facut celebrul Budai Beer. Plus Alex asociatul meu de la Wunderkid, care s-a ocupat de productie si filmare.

Ave!

Beck's Canvas

2008-07-25T12:02:00.005+03:00

For many years Beck's have been supporting young talent and showcasing the established artists by offering them to use Beck's label as a canvas for their work. Artists whose designs appeared on Beck's bottles include Damien Hurst, Tracey Emin, Jeff Koons, and many others.

2008 saw a beginning of partnership between Beck's and the Royal College of Art, which resulted in four promising RCA graduates having their work put on Becks' Canvas.

photos source

The four successful Beck’s Canvas artists are:

Riitta Ikonen, 27, who is studying a two year MA in Communication Art and Design at the Royal College of Arts and graduated last month.
Tom Price, 26, is an alumni of Sculpture (2006) who received a First Class BA (Hons) Sculpture degree from Chelsea College of Art in 2004 and currently works from his Brixton studio.
Simon Cunningham is an alumni of the MA Fine Art, photography course (2007) who lives and works in London.
Charlotte Bracegirdle, 34, is an alumni of the Masters degree in painting (2006). Originally from Devon, Charlotte spent seven years applying to art schools across the UK before accepting a place at the RCA.

One of these collectable bottles can be yours - they can only be purchased in the UK during August and September.

“The campaign vividly illustrates that Beck’s is different by choice. The updated ads should act as the start point on a ‘discovery trail’ - building intrigue and interest for the viewer - which will be rewarded when they see the bottle in a pub, bar or off-licence or experience the campaign on-line.” - Will Morris, Senior Brand Manager for Beck’s at InBev UK

Excellent

Brand Equity and Brand Loyalty

2008-07-07T12:38:00.001+03:00

Consumer-based brand equity goes far beyond just the trigger communication. It comprises the long-term market benefits for the company from customer satisfaction and brand loyalty, caused by positive brand imprinting of customers. The latter is achieved through the net effect of a brand-conscious marketing strategy, product/service usage and word-of-mouth effects. Advertising is but one part of the whole process.

From the consumer perspective, the three fundamental building blocks for building brand equity are a) brand/name awareness, b) perceived product quality image, and c) perceived "extended brand image".

Awareness is necessary as a base for good brand management, because without awareness, the two - holistically perceived - image components can otherwise not be "hooked in". As a cardinal rule, it is important that both the perceived product/service quality image and the perceived extended images are distinctive - and synergistic! A not very distinctive commodity-quality-like product (or service) is difficult to brand. A brilliant luxury-quality product with a weak "extended image" is equally difficult to market.

Memetics

2008-07-01T13:54:00.001+03:00

Fun with Wordle

How Europeans are using the internet?

2008-05-08T15:47:00.003+03:00

Internet use stretches ahead of TV amongst youth audience
16-24 year olds now spend 10% more time online than watching TV
Uplift in online driven by rising use amongst silver surfers and digital women
Internet users on average spending nearly 12 hours per week online and nearly a third (29%) spending upwards of 16 hours online
Internet users access the internet 5.5 days per week
Social networking sites now visited by 42% of internet users
8 out of 10 Europeans connect to the internet via a broadband connection
For the first time ever, 16-24 year olds across Europe are now accessing the
internet more frequently than they are watching TV
82% of this younger demographic use the internet between 5 and 7
days each week while only 77% watch TV as regularly (a decrease of
5% since last year)

There is huge potential to engage and interact with a rapidly growing online audience if marketers can fully understand how consumers are spending their time online. For example, internet users are spending much more time interacting with content and new online tools and services: 42% of internet users regularly communicate via social networking sites and 30% of people watching TV, film or video clips online.

Pangea Day

2008-05-04T15:15:00.002+03:00

Aflu ca anul acesta Pangea Day va avea loc si la Iasi.
Evenimentul se va desfasura, incepand cu orele 21:00, in sala Azur de la Casa de cultura a studentilor organizat de Alex in parteneriat cu OSSEI si Lecupo.

Pangea Day este un proiect care are ca scop realizarea unei experinte comune care sa uneasca toata populatia globului, pentru o mai buna intelegere a oamenilor si a problemelor lor.

Pe 10 mai, 2008 oameni din intreaga lume se vor uni pentru a trai o experienta comuna: vizionarea gratuita de filme create de intreaga lume pentru lume.